Garland Ranch - Carmel, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Mari + Juan

I was so excited when Mari + Juan booked me for a family session last month! I did their family photos about a year ago. That time, we photographed Mari’s side of the family, and this time I got to meet Juan’s!

They were just as much fun to work with. It was so cool to see how much this family cherishes each other. Mari + Juan’s kids have grown up so much!

Our session happened at Garland Ranch. I convinced them to go for a 4pm time slot, and boy, was that the right call!

The weather was one of those 10/10 days, and I could not have been more happy with how nice it was. The sun was just right, which gave us the chance to use all sorts of photography techniques like backlight.

This family loves western attire, and this wardrobe choice shines in every photo! The western theme is so perfect for showing off their personalities. They played with it!

With extended family shots, it can sometimes be a bit tricky to make sure that everyone has their eyes open, but we had such a good time! I kept things moving and paid close attention to all of those little details so this family has perfect memories to look back on.

Some of Juan’s family were even visiting from Mexico for the first time in many years. To be able to capture their reunion was such a blessing!

I took so many photos of everyone together, but I also set aside some time to capture just Mari + Juan’s family! They are such a joy to work with, and I look forward to hopefully seeing them again soon!

Mari + Juan, I was so happy to see you again! I can’t thank you enough for choosing me again to photograph your beautiful family and extended family. When looking at these photos, I hope you fondly remember the memories we made that day.

Garland Ranch - Carmel, CA & Asilomar State Beach - Drew Zavala Photography - Adrian + Laura

Adrian + Laura loved their friend Maria’s wedding photos so much that they instantly contacted me when it came time to book an engagement photographer. I didn’t find out that Maria referred them to me until we had our consultation call. It was such a great surprise!

I absolutely love it when amazing clients refer me to their friends! Adrian + Laura were both so sweet, and I was so excited to work with them since they knew Maria! It was great to hear all about them and their vision for the session.

Laura + Adrian are huge Disney fans! Laura is a preschool teacher/aide, and Adrian works for Goodwill as a hiring manager. They care for others so much, it’s easy to see how they ended up together.

A huge goal I had for this amazing engagement session was to capture their kind hearts! We definitely succeeded. With just one smile, you can tell what gems Adrian + Laura are.

We went to two fantastic locations: Asilomar State Beach, and Garland Ranch. Asilomar State Beach is a go-to of mine. Sunny or overcast, this beach never fails to give a stunning backdrop for my clients. Laura + Adrian were no different!

The weather was bleak and overcast, and it even started to drizzle a little bit, but man! They weren’t phased by it at all!

I was a little bit worried because we hit some traffic on the way, which made us lose some light. But we made it to the beach in time and were quick with the light that we had. We definitely got some winners!

Laura + Adrian did a great job coordinating their outfits. They perfectly followed my portrait session style guide and combined their colors beautifully. They took so much care with every detail!

During the session, I made Laura + Adrian super comfortable in front of the camera, warming them up with movement shots and then throwing in a little posed moment when they were ready.

Laura + Adrian were so ready to smile! The engagement session couldn’t have gone better. I loved every second of it. It was great to meet you two, and I wish you the best with all the wedding plans!

Pine Valley Ranch - San Ardo, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Noe + Maria

Noe + Maria are amazing clients, not only because they chose me to photograph their wedding, but also their engagement! Being able to photograph both is such a meaningful experience for me as a photographer because I get to help craft the visual narrative of your story in a cohesive way. Thanks, you two!

The ceremony happened in Gonzales, CA, and the reception took place at Pine Valley Ranch in San Ardo. Both were stunning locations! Great choice, Noe + Maria!

When my wife and I saw the place, we couldn’t help but smile! This was my wife’s first time shooting with me since her injury, so she was over the moon to help design and photograph the flat lay setup. She did amazing!

Noe + Maria were stars, despite the crazy 114 degree weather! That’s really high for us Californians, but these two kept their cool. Everyone stayed hydrated with cold water and had an amazing time, too!

I can’t praise Noe + Maria enough. They listened so well to us and the videographer. We really appreciated it when they took our advice! It was fantastic to watch them see the benefits of our perspectives as the day unfolded.

We made sure to schedule some portraits with the couple at sunset, and OMG we died while shooting them. The light was to die for, and Noe + Maria were so magical! Maria’s dress was absolutely gorgeous! She found it at Trudy Brides.

The reception was just wild in the best way possible. The drinks were flowing, people danced to the Mexican Banda, and they all had a great time.

The DJ had super bright spotlights on the couple during the first dances, which made it impossible to get good exposure on the whole scene, so I ran over to him and asked if he could turn them off while I got my shots. These photos turned out great!

The lighting in general was tricky during the dance because they had huge video panels that were playing videos and photos. The colors were constantly changing, so we repositioned ourselves to get the best lighting and composition.

Believe it or not, the cake weighed 80 pounds! It almost fell over while they were transferring it from the fridge to the barn, but luckily the day was saved. With the cake intact, the couple dove right in!

I’ll be honest: it took us about two whole days to fully recover from this wedding. Our bodies ached, but it was well worth it! Just look at these photos! Thanks so much, Noe + Maria, for letting us have the honor of documenting your special day. We loved every second!